In recent weeks I got more and more aware of the fact that there has been an alarming trend in (public) Christianity to migrate from often times good beginnings as believers in God and Christ to one of three seemingly different camps of Christendom. Let me give you my observations for this assertion.

The first type of Christian that caught my eye was the theologian-ex-pastor group that had left the church for reasons that were real in my view, that is, they clearly saw the flaws of organized Christianity. However, the problem that arose was this: If someone has been called out of the church system by God, but does NOT experience the cross of Christ in their daily lives afterwards, these pastor-theologians will sooner or later start to act as their uncircumcised old self nature suggests by spreading their own (false) theological stuff in another area/group/home church/on the internet etc. or, worst case, they stumble over/into many sins, no longer recognizing that these severe temptations were being offered by Satan. If you happen to meet former blogger pastors and theologians on the internet, you might be as astonished (read grieved and partly repelled) as I have been lately. One of these guys seems to slip from crisis to crisis, from scandal to scandal, not knowing where he goes in this darkness with no light from God. If he only saw that he was in darkness! But no… he keeps preaching what he thinks is from God. ☹ And then the money problem that arises outside the church without any other job. People are asked to …DONATE, DONATE, DONATE… You see, as it is inside the church, so it is outside if God is not present nor obeyed.

Dropping by another guy’s blog where I once commented, too, I really had to hold my breath. At the first moment it seemed to me as if he had pasted Bible verses and transcribed them pointing to himself instead of pointing to Jesus and God.

“Listen to MY podcast….. Read MY books…….” And last but not least……. “Come to ME and join my online disciple group” (since his blog is only for members now).

Oh boy! Deeeeep sigh… You see, as it is in churches, a hierarchy of sorts begins to evolve again. The former pastor wants to teach his (!) disciples, even if only online. Don’t we merely need ONE SHEPHERD, ONE TEACHER, and ONE LORD to whose voice we should listen? Isn’t it enough to be led and taught by the Holy Spirit Jesus has sent? But unfortunately, if someone really obeys God, he won’t be popular any more. With a godly disciple you can’t make money at all because they come and go like the wind, just as God leads them. No plan, no schedule, no boss whom they would obey if he himself has not submitted to God.

The third party that was eye-catching for me is of another mentality. Often times these not so much intellectual but mystical theologians come from Catholicism or from liberal Protestantism and Evangelicalism. I see this particularly in Germany although I know they exist elsewhere as well. These guys jumped on the bandwagon that has sloshed across the Indian Ocean from Asia already many years ago. They do not only know theology and doctrine, sometimes they are experts on ZEN meditation and other Buddhist contemplative disciplines as well. Worst thing is, they offer a mix of lies and truth that originally descended from real experienced contemplation (i.e. from beholding Christ in the Spirit) and the idea that you need to empty your mind on your own. Alas, they have no clue that there are other spirits around who are waiting eagerly to get hold of the human spirit in order to blind them toward the truth with their deceiving ‘light’ which is darkness, basically. Indeed, they do bring light, yet it comes from below. Satan’s other name ‘Lucifer’ derives from the Latin language as the one who is to bring(ferre)light(lucis, which is genitive case for lux).

Brothers and sisters, to me it has been a heavy burden on my heart to observe how little the truth is believed in Christendom. Especially those people who left the Institutional Church (IC) for the proper reason are in danger to be deceived again and again if they keep listening to man and to their old self more than to God’s small and still voice that calls them out of ALL manageable systems so that they can follow their personal Shepherd instead.

Like this:

Related

Post navigation

21 thoughts on “The Times We Live in or …Thoughts on Today’s Theology”

These are dark times and growing darker everyday. Much of the problem you cite is due to the fact that Christians are biblically illiterate. Their faith can be easily manipulated, since it is not grounded in the Word.

Self-interested (or misguided) preachers act as wolves in sheep’s clothing. The errors they promulgate are further coupled with pressure from society for the new “tolerance”, i.e. public acknowledgment that all beliefs — even those which may be satanic — are equally valid.

Yes, Anna, if we all cling first to Him and then to one another as we all obey Him as members of His Body, then we won’t have any problems with recognizing any deception coming at us through kind and even empathetic guys, aka wolves in sheep’s clothing as you so rightly said above.

These guys I described in my article were of that sort, likeable and winning people, almost all of them. Oh, how much we need the discernment of spirits from God!! So many call themselves brother, but they do not know God at all. It is not our job to condemn them, however, we need to close the door to the wrong spirits. I just mentioned this because yours was the only response I moderated from three comments that were awaiting moderation.

Very timely post Sue : Just today I had to go to a nursing home as part of my training at school to become a Certified Nursing Assistant I visited with a pretty resident and introduced myself to her and she told me her name is Becky—as we talked I could tell she was depressed about something so I comforted her with peaceful totter and she loved it and said to me how she first thought of me as another one of those other types of guys so I said to her–No I have learned to not trust myself but only let the Lord do the directing and in his own way and He wanted me to see you and give you His peace so here I am splashing you with His comfort and you can be sure I will be talking to Papa on your behalf—She was so rested when I left that it joyed me so much and then I got to tell the rest of the class about her and it was so neat how now they all know the Way I walk—I say all this because I have experienced the cross in my life and thats the only way you will ever become a splasher instead of a dasher..Thanks for the good post.

*Like 🙂
Wow Susanne, It is the grieving of the Spirit Himself in what you have seen imo.

I think the reason we see this more often than not, and with leaders particularly, is because, for one reason or another, their hearts go astray. They “pick and choose” what they read in scripture or what they want to DO for God. Many today get their ideas from a spirit that they believe is the Holy Spirit but is NOT or an angel of light.
This is not new but multiplied due to all the technology.that has opened doors globally to hear and see so much.
If you have eyes to see and ears to hear it that is…

Cain is the first example after the Fall, and we know how that turned out.
Jude 11 (KJV)
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

In 1 Samuel 15 and 16 we can read the results of when King Saul took matters into his own hands, picking and choosing how he wanted to obey God. He never repented…major bad consequences:

1 Samuel 15:22-23 (KJV)
“And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from
being king.”

If we do not permit the Lord to discipline us when we have been disobedient, we leave the way open for a tragic end.
As in the case of King Saul, an evil spirit may even be assigned by the Lord to the one needing discipline.

Finally, to complete this train of what I gleaned from “The Times We Live in or…Thoughts for Today’s Theology” and to finish on a good note 🙂 I think Jude says it well:

Jude 17-25

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Love and Peace to you Susanne and to ALL of the delightful folks here! XXXOOO Judi

Dear Susanne,
As I read your excellent and timely article as to the delusions that so many would-be Christian leaders are falling into, it is obvious to me that the only safeguard we have to stay out of these pits is not only a good knowledge of the
Bible (for even Satan has that), but a deep working of the cross in our lives. To come out of organized religion and go outside the camp (see Hebrews 13:12-14), is only part of the journey. To be Jesus’ disciples and not just the disciples of men we must take up our own crosses and follow Him alone.

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matt 16:24-25, ESV2011)

You see, the problem with these men you speak of is that they are madly trying to save their lives all the while that Jesus is bidding them to deny their self lives. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “When God calls a man, he bids him to come and die.” The worst delusion of all is to think we are doing God a service by rising up in some form of religion or another and shine brightly before all men so that we can draw them to be our disciples. What Paul warned the early church has surely come to pass on all fronts,

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. (Acts 20:29-31, ESV2011)

Thank you so much for mentioning that good Bible knowledge is not always enough, Michael.

It is true, like Anna said, that people who are biblically illiterate can be easily manipulated with Scriptures (taken out of context, in particular, like Judi wrote). At least, that was my very experience in the past. Therefore I began to search the Bible all by myself. Yet without God’s light into my own spirit, I am not sure where I would have ended, since… if knowing Scripture would have been sufficient, why did the Pharisees and the scribes NOT believe in Jesus? We cannot get real LIFE if we refuse to go to HIM (through prayer). In Scripture there is no life for us available unless God’s Spirit breathes on something which is written and makes it alive to us IN HIS PERFECT TIMING. As I told you lately, God does not need the Bible if He wants to save someone. He can use an advertisement or even an atheistic book in order to speak to the heart of somebody so that they clearly know it was GOD Himself. I believe it is good that God’s dealing with man is not predictable. I like that about Him ! 🙂

“…if knowing Scripture would have been sufficient, why did the Pharisees and the scribes NOT believe in Jesus? We cannot get real LIFE if we refuse to go to HIM (through prayer).”

Exactly what Jesus said to them and oh how it applies today more than ever!

“And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:37-40, ESV2011)

*Like 🙂
Wow Susanne!
This comment – imo – is more of a complement to your post so please nix my last one – if you did not already do so 🙂

As I read Open Windows this morning this leaped out ( – I recently subscribed to TAS since reading so many excerpts by you and Michael. Such a treasure 🙂

December 9
Have you got a heart for the Lord? Have you got a heart for the
Kingdom of God? Really, is this a heart matter?

((my note: the missing link:))

The Lord says that if you really have a heart, that is going to mean /spiritual
understanding/….
There are people whose good hearts are not
rebellious to the Lord. They are not the people who say, “I will not
have the Lord’s Words.” They make a response to the Lord, and it comes
from their hearts.
But some good people have reservations. Some very
good people say, “Now if I go all out for the Lord, you know what my
friends will think of me? Do you know what the people in my church
would say about me? And you know, perhaps my position in business will
be interfered with. I must be very careful. I must not lose my
influence with others. I must think about what other people will think
and say. Now, my committee expects this of me. If I really go all out
for the Lord, my committee will be very angry. Perhaps they will ask
me to resign.” Do you see what I mean? Very good people, but they are
influenced by policy. I was talking to a man once, and as I talked to
him, he saw what I was meaning. And when I was finished, this is what
he said. “Yes, Mr. Sparks, you are quite right. I quite agree with
you. But if I was to go the way that you are going, I should offend
all my friends. And in my work for the Lord, people would begin to
withdraw their support with money. So I must think about my people and
about the Lord’s work.” Very good people, very devoted to the Lord.

((***my note: HERE is the crux of the matter imo:))

There is no doubt about it that they love the Lord, but you see these
reservations. It says about Caleb of the Old Testament, that he had
another spirit, and he /wholly followed the Lord…./

NIXing your last comment – no way. Approved, very much liked, and replied to. 🙂

Seems to have been God’s leading last night….. about 22 or 23 hours ago I read TAS devotional, the one you pasted here, and I thought about inserting it either in my blog post or in a comment. But then I thought….. YAAAAAWN… is is late….. must go to bed. And then God sends you along and gives me another confirmation about having heard Him on this, i.e., this devo is truly complementary to my post. 🙂 God’s leading, I love it!!! ❤

Let us whole-heartedly follow the Lord like Caleb! ⭐

Not sure about your two notes, but I think I will add the link to Sparks’ devo beneath, as always. I hope that is okay with you… AWWWWW, a few minutes later. GOT IT! Yup, exactly these things fit perfectly as to these good guys I mentioned in my post, they have had a heart for the Lord, but they had reservations, too. Alas. 😦

Susanne and Judi, this is an excellent case of how the Spirit uses us to complement His words to the body by bringing giving us each something to bring to the Lord’s table for the profit of all. It is as if each of us is a facet on the side of His gem stone that adds to His glory the whole. This is what Paul was writing about…

“You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Since you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ toward God: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;” (2Cor 3:2-5, KJ2000)

Well now you have me scared. This is why I say I get into trouble a lot. I fall into some of this my self. I find all kind of teachings on facebook and on you tube so I look at them. Some scare me a lot. I am learning that GOD really does not want me watching those videos specially the ones that get me into trouble.

I have met Christians that have said things like this ” If you are mad at me you are mad at GOD” In reference to what they are teaching. So in other words if you are mad at their teachings you are mad at GOD. I consider this manipulation and I don’t much care for it. I have been lead by some like that though. I remember a year ago during the presidential election. This man convinced people that if you vote for Trump or Hillary that you do not know GOD. So I didn’t vote for either of them even though I felt in my heart that GOD had already chosen Trump. So now I feel I disobeyed GOD in listening to that guy. Any way this guy would probably fit the second type of Christian. I know he is a man of GOD but the things he does like that bother me a lot so I stopped going to his bible study. I have forgiven him now may GOD have mercy on him and may GOD teach him. I have thought many times to try and correct him on things that I know he is wrong on.

I recall having heard this sentence, “If you are mad at me you are mad at GOD”, as well, and referring to teaching or not, this means that people have an antichrist (instead of Christ) spirit since they take the place of God, don’t they? Fred, if you were mad at Michael or me for writing or teaching something, we would say, “May God show us the truth. Amen.” Whether we are right or wrong, humility is always needed since we all make mistakes and need correction at times.

As to the election, this is a worldly and not a Christian thing, I believe. God never forced me to vote, so sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. It is not really important to me because I feel God is in control of everything.

Btw, I would like to know how you recognize whether someone is a (wo)man of GOD? 🙄 This issue would be interesting to write about in a future blog post, perhaps. So, if you have any idea, I might include your contribution, God willing.

I am probably the worst person to know if some one is a man a woman of god. I do know why I said that however and it was more in fear of saying something bad about some one and maybe commiting a sin if I do. At one time however I could feel if GOD was speaking through someone. I remember a man who when preaching I could feel GOD and at times in his preaching he would admit that the preaching was for him as well as every one else. I prefer preachers like that as it shows humility. The man I refered to above was not like that but I am scared to say to much against him as it does make me feel I might sin and I would rather not do that. So I am not much help to you.

Fred, here is a booklet that George Davis and I wrote about how the early church began to fall away from their simple faith in Christ and how many anti-christs rose up to lead His people astray as disciples of themselves.

The Community

Spam Blocked

FEAR NOT…

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."
(John 3:16-17 ESV)

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.